Lennie Gorsuch, president of the Bartlett Regional Hospital Board of Directors, announced Friday, May 18, the hire of a new Chief Executive Officer. Shawn D. Morrow, currently CEO of Logan Medical Center in Guthrie, Oklahoma, will take charge of Bartlett Regional Hospital on Monday, July 9.

Morrow replaces interim CEO James Richardson, who will stay on through July 13 to help with the transition. Richardson took a temporary position with the hospital in November 2006 when long-time CEO Robert Valliant took medical leave due to ill health. Valliant died of cancer several weeks later.

Shawn D. Morrow

"My wife, Ashley, and I are very much looking forward to becoming residents of Juneau," Morrow said by telephone from Oklahoma. "We wanted to find a place to put down roots prior to our oldest child starting middle school. We were looking for a place with good schools and a great hospital. Juneau has all that and more."

The Morrows have three boys and a girl, ranging in ages from two to 11.

Prior to the three years he served as CEO at Logan Medical Center, Morrow was CEO for Holdenville General Hospital, also in Oklahoma. He is originally from Utah.

Scott Spickler, who served on the hospital's recruitment committee, said the process of selection was exceptionally efficient. "We owe a debt of thanks to Quorum for making recruitment much easier than it could have been," he said, referring to QHR, the hospital management company contracted by the City and Borough of Juneau to provide the hospital with administrative services. "Quorum provided us with six potential candidates, from which we chose to interview three."

The recruitment process was well organized, Morrow said. "It was thorough - the best I've ever been through."

Spickler observed that Morrow interacted well with the staff and board. "He's a good listener. You could tell he absorbed what he was hearing."

According to board president Lennie Gorsuch, each of the three candidates were well received but when put to a vote, the choice was unanimous.

Dr. Bob Urata, a board member and former president, describes Morrow as energetic. "He has great ideas about what to do to improve the health of our community," Urata said.

"I see him as someone who will stay for a long time in our community and who will take BR★ into a new and exciting era."

Urata was also impressed with Morrow's interest in being involved in community activities. "He coaches his sons' little league baseball and basketball teams. He is a tall guy and loves to play basketball."

Morrow described himself and his family as "fanatical Utah Jazz fans."

With J-D High School alum Carlos Boozer starring on the NBA basketball team that moved on to the Western finals, Morrow will share with many in Juneau an intense interest in the play-offs.